What types of herb seeds does Oreshka Seeds offer?

Oreshka Seeds carries 263 herb varieties across three sub-collections: Medicinal Herbs (103 varieties including Panax ginseng, Echinacea purpurea, Aconitum napellus and Ashwagandha), Culinary Herbs (98 varieties including sage, lavender, dill, cilantro and 12 lettuce cultivars), and Wild & Meadow Herbs (62 species including Lilium martagon, Trifolium pratense and native meadow grasses). Each sub-collection has its own page with growing guides and variety comparisons.

Which herb is easiest to grow from seed for beginners?

For culinary herbs, dill (Anethum graveolens) germinates in 7–14 days at 18–22°C and needs no stratification. For medicinal herbs, Echinacea purpurea is reliable — cold-stratify seeds at 4°C for 4 weeks, then germinate at 20°C; expect sprouts in 10–21 days. Wild clover (Trifolium pratense) from the meadow collection establishes in 5–7 days without any pre-treatment.

Can I grow medicinal and culinary herbs in Zone 5, UK or Northern Europe?

Most culinary herbs in our collection are annuals or half-hardies that perform well in Zone 5 and UK conditions — sage, parsley, dill and basil all thrive with a standard growing season. Medicinal perennials such as Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort), Echinacea purpurea and Leonurus cardiaca (Motherwort) are hardy to Zone 4 (−34°C) and naturalise readily in northern European gardens. Wild meadow species like Trifolium pratense and Filipendula ulmaria are native to those climates and grow without intervention.

What is the difference between culinary sage and medicinal sage?

Salvia officinalis (culinary sage) is grown for its aromatic leaves used in cooking; it reaches 60–80 cm and is hardy to Zone 6. Salvia sclarea (clary sage) and Salvia verticillata are medicinal species with different alkaloid profiles — clary sage is used in aromatherapy and folk medicine, while Salvia verticillata attracts pollinators and has traditional uses in Eastern European herbalism. Both are in our medicinal collection with germination data on each product page.

Can herbs be grown permanently in pots or containers?

Yes. Culinary herbs such as basil, parsley, sage and dill grow well in pots of 2–5 litres. Medicinal perennials including Echinacea, lavender and Hypericum do best in containers of at least 10 litres with good drainage. Wild meadow species are generally better suited to open ground, as species like Filipendula ulmaria and Lilium martagon need at least 15–20 cm of root depth and do not persist long-term in shallow pots.

How long does it take for herb seeds to germinate and reach harvest?

Fast culinary herbs — dill, cilantro, basil — germinate in 7–14 days and are ready to harvest in 6–8 weeks from sowing. Slower culinary herbs like fennel and lovage take 14–21 days to sprout and need a full season before first harvest. Medicinal perennials such as Echinacea and Panax ginseng require cold stratification (4–8 weeks at 4°C) before germination; ginseng may take 18 months to produce a usable root. Wild meadow species germinate in 10–30 days depending on species.

Why buy herb seeds from Oreshka Seeds rather than a local nursery?

Oreshka Seeds carries 263 herb varieties, including pharmacopoeial medicinal species (Panax ginseng, Ashwagandha, Aconitum napellus) and Siberian wild herbs rarely available outside specialist collections. Seeds are harvested fresh each season from verified parent plants and ship worldwide in sealed moisture-proof packets within 2–3 business days. Local nurseries typically stock 15–30 common culinary herbs; rare medicinal and wild meadow species are not commercially grown in most countries.

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Seeds of Dracocephalum ruyschiana (Dracocephalum ruyschiana) — 10 pcs

Oreshka seeds

T65

€

5,00

€

8,33

Ruysch's snakehead (lat. Dracocephalum ruyschiana)

Perennial herbaceous plant with branched rhizome, 40–60 cm high; several stems, erect. The leaves are sessile, lanceolate-linear or linear, obtuse, with entire, complete edges, dark green above, shiny, lighter below, with pinpoint glands.

The inflorescence is spike-shaped, more or less dense, short (round or short-oval). The bracts are ovate-lanceolate, pointed. The upper tooth of the calyx is 1.5–2 times wider than the others. Corolla 20–28 mm, bright blue. Blooms in summer.